#195 Urban Legends Are Everywhere

The world of dog training is filled with outdated advice that gets passed down like spooky campfire stories. These persistent myths don't just confuse dog owners—they can damage the trust between you and your four-legged friend. From the thoroughly debunked "alpha theory" to the harmful practice of punishing growls, we're tackling these urban legends head-on.

Chapters

• 0:00 Urban Legends in Dog Training
• 0:35 The Alpha Myth Debunked
• 1:32 Walking, Doors, and House Training
• 3:15 Tug Play and Growling Misconceptions
• 5:10 Recap of Common Dog Training Myths

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Have you ever been told not to let your dog walk in front of you or he'll start to think that he's the boss? Or that playing tug will make your dog aggressive? Yeah, let's talk about it. Today we are busting some of the most common and persistent urban legends in dog training Stuff that's been passed down like ghost stories at a campfire. Except instead of scaring kids, they confuse dog owners. So the first urban legend you have to be alpha, this one's everywhere. Alpha, this one's everywhere. People still say you need to show your dog who's boss, or eat before them, or never let them on the couch. And here's the deal, the whole alpha wolf theory. It came from studies on captive wolves in the 70s and the actual guy who did the research later said oops, that's not really how wolf packs work at all. And here's the truth. Not letting your dog on the couch doesn't make you some sort of authority figure in your dog's eyes. It's just another rule that he has to follow. And dogs don't mind following the rules as long as they know what they are. So just be a consistent and fair leader. You don't have to be a drill sergeant.

Speaker 1: 1:32

Urban legend number two don't let your dog walk in front of you. Look, unless your dog is pushing you into traffic, they're not plotting a canine coup. Walking in front just means they're excited. They're not plotting a canine coup. Walking in front just means they're excited. They're curious. They're dogs. Watch your dog, off-leash in the backyard. Does he walk in a straight line at a set pace? No, he runs here and sniffs. And he runs there and sniffs. And that's all they're doing when they're on leash. Because they didn't know the rules have changed just because you hooked the leash to their collar. So walking ahead of your dog doesn't make them think oh wow, he's in charge. It just means they can't sniff and explore at their own pace. Leash manners matter, sure, but not because of dominance. We want loose leash walking. So you know, no one's arm gets ripped out.

Speaker 1: 2:30

And urban legend number three you should always go through the door first. Waiting at doors isn't about asserting authority. We do it for safety, so your dog doesn't knock you down with excitement. It's about safety, not hierarchy. It doesn't matter who goes first or last, as long as we all get through with our knees intact.

Speaker 1: 2:57

And urban legend number four rubbing their nose in it will stop house training accidents. Nope, nope and nope. Dogs don't connect the dots after the fact. Rubbing their nose in urine doesn't say don't potty inside. It says, oh, my owner can be violent and it can also teach your puppy to hide better next time and it can also teach your puppy to hide better next time. So if your dog has an accident, simply clean it up and move on and double check your house training schedule. And, in all honesty, if my dog is going to have an accident inside, I prefer that he goes right in front of me so I know exactly what I need to clean up. If he goes and hides in the guest bedroom, it could take me six months to figure it out.

Speaker 1: 3:51

And urban legend number five playing tug makes your dog aggressive. It doesn't. Tug is not the gateway drug to aggression. Tug is actually a fantastic game if you just play by some basic rules Start it, end it and teach a good release cue like drop it. Tug actually builds impulse, control and confidence and it should strengthen your bond with your dog, all without turning your dog into a raging lunatic.

Speaker 1: 4:27

And urban legend number six if your dog growls, you should punish him. Please don't. Growling is your dog's way of saying hey, I'm uncomfortable. And if you punish the growl, you may be removing the only audible warning that you receive before your dog bites. Instead, listen to and respect the growl and then ask yourself what's making him uncomfortable, why is he growling? And once you figure out the why, you can start working on the fix. You figure out the why you can start working on the fix. So let's just quickly recap a few of these wild myths. You don't need to dominate your dog. Tug is not dangerous. Dogs can walk in front of you without thinking they're in charge. Nose rubbing teaches fear, not house training. Nose rubbing teaches fear, not house training. And waiting at doors is about safety, not leadership. And not letting dogs on the couch is just a rule. It's not a status game. And growling is communication, not disrespect.